The crumbling remnant of the TOKYO DINGBATS will be putting another mediocre performance again in 2016. CM6s observers were surprised last year to see the Dingbats floundering around in the Spoon. They salvaged some pride by making the final, and resumed normal programming by then losing in emphatic fashion. Good teams are remembered for their successes, great teams for their failures. Dingbats will be remembered for their catastrophes.
Days of punching above their weight may be long past, Dingbats are proof positive that ability shouldn't get in the way of enjoyment. Just watch any Beavers v Dingbats game! Dingbats won't be limping and creaking over the finish line this year. That's how they will be starting the week.
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DAN MONK
Part of the growing contingent of Chiang Mai Dingbats, Dan had a "join the club, mate" moment in the 2015 final. Don't worry Dan, having a melt-down in the final is a Dingbats' right of passage. Dingbats have a plan for Dan's flurry of final' full tosses: keeping gloves! No dinky scooters for zipping around town for the Monk, whose strides a gigantic 1100cc machine.
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IAN GASON
The most-hospitalized Dingbat and the the only Dingbat to suffer more injuries than Marty, Curly will be struggling to get through the rigors of the 5-over format. Medically absent from club cricket for months, he will be coming in well-rested, which is another way of saying in no shape to be playing. A serial offender for carrying his bat, his failings with the bat were a feature of Dingbats demise in '15.
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LUKE PACKER
A big unit that bats and bowls, Luke has tagged along with Marty from the Gold Coast. As Marty's club captain, he probably thinks he knows how to handle his little mate. We'll see how Luke deals with everything Marty and the rest of Chiang Mai throws at him. More importantly, let's see how Chiang Mai deals with what Luke throws at it.
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MARTIN CHARLTON
Tired of breaking down come finals time, Marty tried an injury prevention strategy, by taking up 40 over cricket back home. Predictably, he broke down after 2 rounds. In the finest tradition of The Little Engine That Could, Marty soldiered on to help his side to the brink of finals. A larger than life character at the Sixes, Marty - not the Engine - hopes to repeat his fine form on the pitch and after the game. Smart enough to get out in the last over when in danger of carrying his bat.
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MATT BRAY
Beat a field of one to win the (previously unheard of) best dressed Dingbat award. Striding the the bowling crease like a classically trained prayng mantis, Matt delivers offies with leggies action. Or is it leggies with an offies action? Ah, you better watch the ball. A bad influence on the Dingbats? Yeah, 3 tequilas for B100- we haven't forgotten!
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MAX COOMBES
The growing giant carried his older team-mates again in 2015 and we look forward to him to do the same this year. None of his older team-mates cricketing experience has rubbed off on Max, fortunately. Unfortunately, we have failed to learn anything from him either. The only one of us actually getting better, the bigger he gets, the harder he hits 'em. Will be targeted by opposition bowlers as well as all those lovely team guides. Expect to see him get the better of them all.
